100,000 Texans to lose unemployment benefits

Texans who are out of a job may be losing the unemployment benefits they depend on if Washington doesn’t act.

If legislation is not passed by Congress on or before Dec. 31, some 100,000 Texans still looking for work will no longer receive an average of $300 per week provided them by unemployment insurance, according to a new AFL-CIO report.

The report, which details state and national unemployment trends, lays the failure to extend unemployment benefits at Congress’ feet.

“We are all connected to the fate of millions of Americans who have lost their jobs in a difficult economy through no fault of their own,” said Becky Moeller, Texas AFL-CIO president, in a statement. “If Congress doesn’t act, this will be a miserable New Year for 102,500 Texans, but by extension, it will be sad tidings for many more Texans who do well when everyone participates in our economy.”

According to the report, the 100,000 Texans are among some 2 million Americans who are out of work and facing the loss of benefits.

“This is money that goes to essentials,” said Ed Sills, spokesperson for Texas AFL-CIO. “For someone who’s been out of work for several months, that money is all they have to buy groceries or pay the rent.”

Sills said such benefits act as economic stimulus during hard economic times because the money is spent immediately within local economies. He said Congress has typically not politicized or waited to extend such benefits.

“This used to be a bipartisan thing,” he said. “In hard times Congress has always stepped in and done something to help people who are out of work.”

Sills said statements by some GOP politicians, calling those on unemployment “lazy,” are out of line.

“If you’ve ever had the misfortune of losing a job, you know that just sounds like a partisan political statement,” he said. “In order to receive benefits you have to maintain a search for a job. These aren’t victims of laziness, they’re victims of hard times in our economy.”

Bill Hammond, former Chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission and now 13-year president of the Texas Association of Business, said he foresees Congress acting to extend unemployment benefits.

“It (unemployment insurance) will be extended,” he said. “They’re just arguing how to pay for it.”

Although he agrees that benefits should be extended to keep Texans looking for work in their homes and off the streets, he reiterated the conservative view that such benefits do contribute to workers being on unemployment for long periods of time.

“People are more likely to obtain work if their benefits are gone,” he said.

In a statement, Moeller refuted such views, saying high national and state unemployment has more to do with a lack of responsible government regulation and irresponsible actions of those on Wall St. than it does complacent workers collecting unemployment.

Moeller went on to relate the unemployment crisis to the 99 percent or “Occupy Wall St.” movement, whose offshoot, “Occupy Austin,” will demonstrate in the Capital tonight starting at 6 p.m. The march will begin at City Hall and end in front of the Chase Bank Building.

“It’s time for the 99 percent to ask Congress to stand up for the 8.6 percent of Americans who are out of work,” she said.